Sliding door



Aug. 18, 1936. I A. H. RICHARD v 2,051,421

sLID'I'NG DooR Filed July s, 1934 A INVENTOR AHR CI/ward ATTORN EYS Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED-S'TATES TENT OFFICE 2,051,421 Y sLIDING Doon Anthony Henry Richard, Alexandria, La. Application July 3, 1934, Serial No. 733,639

7 Claims. (C1. 1891-60) This invention relates to improvements in sliding doors, and its objects areas follows:- First, to provide a door composed of a plurality of tubes, each longitudinally slotted in a straight line at one place, said tubes being so intertted at the slots as to compose an articulated door panel which is readily conformable to the curvature of a track.v

Second, to provide' an articulated door panel which is perfectly water-proof insofar as the passage of water from one side to the other of the panel is concerned, the individual tubes serving as gutters to conduct any water that might enter them to the sides of the door Where it runs down the guide channels. I

Third, to provide an articulated door panel, the slotted tubes of which are capable of being instantly intertted or separated from each other merely by sliding the tubes lengthwise relatively to each'V other when separate from the guide channels. d

Fourth, toprovide an articulated door panel of the foregoing description which possesses a suilicient degree of adaptability to guide channels which may possibly be out of line, enabling the tubes to adjust themselves to the twisted condition of the frame and to continue Working without any appreciable binding in the opening and closing of the door. Y

Fifth, to provide a simple locking arrangement for the door, this involving the lowermost tube as the support for the locking rods, said tube being of a special shape to abut the door jamb.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of an enclosure, in the opening of which the improved door is shown in its closed position. f

Figure 2 is a section taken substantially on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l, particularly illustrating the finger grips of the locking arrangement.

Figure 4 is a detail section taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 1, particularly showing how one of the locking rods engages an adjacent guide channel.

The improved sliding door is herein intended for use on a truck, but the door is not confined to this use because it is applicable to garages, and other similar enclosures. In Figure 1 the truck body I, herein known as the enclosure, has an op-ening 2 which is anked at the sides by guide channels 3. These are parallel to each Aoutside series and an inside series.

other, and they stand perpendicularly to a jamb 4 which, in the case of the truck, is its floor.

The4 Yizierpenclicularity ofthe guide channels extends only to the substantial height of 'the opening 2. There the channels turn on a curve 5 (Fig. 2) and extend inwardly of the enclosure as at 6. VAccording to the present showing the channel extension 6 runs'parallel to the top "I and closely thereto. The extension is not necessarily close to the top, nor is it necessarily at right angles to the upright parts 3 of the guide channels as shown. The-upright parts of the guide channels have registering holes 8. The jamb 4 has a lixed detent 9.

Situated in part of the guide channels is the door generally designated I0. The meaning of the statement that the door is situated partly in theV guide channels is that it stops short of the length of the channels as at II (Fig. 2) and that only the lateral extremities of the door t in the channels, the door being situated therebetween in a spanning position as clearly shown. This door is composed mainly of tubes I2. All of the tubes are alike excepting Vthe bottom and top tubes I3 and Ill. Each of the tubes is longitudinally slotted in a straight line at one place as at I5. v

The tubes are loosely intertted by sliding the ange parts adjacent to the respective slots in the slots of companion tubes so that two flange parts of an adjacent pair of tubes will occupy the slot of an intermediate tube which thus acts'as a connector. The result of lthis mode of connection is a staggering of the tubes, there being an The slots of the vouter series faceinwardly toward the enclosure I, while the'slots of the inner series face outwardly. The tubes are staggered in relationship, but the tubes on the inner series act as positive water stops, serving as gutters to drain 01T any rain water that might enter them to the sides of the door.

The difference in the bottom tube I3 from the remaining tubes is that a portion thereof is made square as at I6. In other words, the bottom tube is half round and half square in cross section, and it has the same cross section from end to end. The front of this tube has a short slot I1 (Fig. 3) which contains and guides the Shanks I8 of nger grips I9. These are xedly carried in any convenient way by locking rods (either round or non-circular in cross section). The rods are appropriately supported and guided in the bottom tube I3, for instance by end pieces 2l of which one is shown in Figure 4. A compression spring 22 at the near ends of the locking rods (Fig-3) tend to separate the rods and hold them in locking engagement with the registering V,holes 8.

Y pair of registering holes 8.

A hasp 23 on the bottom tube |31is designed to fit upon the detent 9. When the shackle of a lock 24 is inserted through the holes in the detent and hasp the door may be secured in the closed position.

The difference in the top tube I4 lies in its having at least one lug 25 to which one end of a Yspring 26, or equivalent counterbalancing means Vis attached. The opposite Vend of the spring is anchored somewhere within the en closure. The function of the counterbalancing means is to aid the opening and closing move- Vments of the door, whether the door `panel be.Y

grips thereby securing the door.

Vposition relative to each other.

In moving therdoor in its guide channels the slotted tubes remain practically in the original There is a slight relative change, butthisfis to be expected because of the inherent loose interconnection of the slotted tubes, and does not interfere with the free vand correct operation. The inner series of `tubes 'slide Von the inner flanges of the guide channels, especially When rounding the curve 5 and traversing "the extension 6. VThe `tubes'. of the outer series merely hang upon the anges of -the kinner tubes substantially as shown. Those tubes in the erect part of the door panel simply hangV upon each other at the flanges, the points of supportralternatingV between the Y tubes of the inner andouter series.Y

It has been pointed out that the tubes are intertted simply by sliding them together. A pair of tubes may be stood on the floor with their slots in the'front position, whereupon a third tube is slid downon the adjacent flange portions thereby to make a connection.V The door panel is virtuallya'chain of tubes. There is limited loose play between the tubes of the completed door panel to enable any necessaryY adaptation V of the panel to a guiding framework which is not twisted too far out of shape.

, Ic1aim:- Y Y l Y 1. A sliding door panel comprising a plurality 0f narrowly slotted, individual tubes intertted by mutual interengagement of the flange portions adjacent to the slots.

2. A sliding door panel comprising a plurality V of slotted, individual tubes, the slots of succeeding tubes being oppositely directed and the flange portions of the tubes adjacent to the slots being interfltted to mutually support the tubes in staggered relationship.V

3. A sliding door panel comprising an inner and an outer series of slotted tubes, the slots of the inner series facing outwardly with respect to the openingrof an enclosure, and the Yslots of the outer series facing inwardly and containing pairs of flange portions of the tubes of the inner series thereby mutually interconnecting the tubes.

4. A sliding door comprisingV a plurality ofV longitudinally slotted tubes including top and Y bottom tubes, interttedvby mutual interengagement of the flange portions adjacent to the slots, thereby mutually connecting and support- Ving the tubes in parallel but staggered relationship to produce an articulated door panel, said top and bottom'tube respectively having a lug anda slot, counterbalancing means includinga spring attached at one end to the lug and having its other end attachable to an anchorage, locking means in the bottom tube including at least one Vsquare bottom, the bottom tube having .a short 25 rod'protruding from one end of the tube and 30 finger grips having Shanksl in the short slot' and being operable to move the rod, and guide means for the sides of the door panel, one of theguide means ,havingat vleast one holeV to receive the end of the locking rod. 'i f 5. A plurality; of Ylongitudinally slotted, individual tubes having the flange portions adjacent to the slot of one tube fitted in the slots of companion tubesY to compose a loosely connected chain of tubes for an `articulated door panel.

, 6. :A plurality of slotted tubes, alternating in 'position as regards the'relationship of the slots so that the slots vof the tubes come next to each other and the remaining tubular parts of the tubes face outwardly and inwardly with respect to a door opening, the ange portions of the tubes adjacent to the slots being interfitting to produce a loosely connected door panel.

7. Adoor panel comprising two series of inter- Y connected tubes having theirv axialv centers disposed on substantially parallel lines, the nearV sides of the tubes beingslotted and containing pairs of flange portions of adjacent tubes so Y that a tube in one series couples two tubes in A the second series.

ANTHONY HENRY RICHARD. K 

